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Eardisley - Huwe Global Schools Partnership
In late July 2011 a party from Eardisley School in Herefordshire travelled to Tanzania to visit their link school at Huwe. In the party were the head teacher Michele Chapman and her husband Steve and foundation governor Susan Brown and her husband Robert, they were the thi
Every day we travelled by car along mainly unmade roads to Huwe. The first time we made the journey as we turned off the main road we could see a mass of blue and white figures clustered around the entrance leading to the school. It was all the children from Huwe School who were watching and waiting for us to arrive. As soon as they saw our car they gave an almighty cheer, waving and clapping with excitement. Then all ran behind the car as we bumped along the approach road and then we were at the school itself. We had the most fantastic welcome with speeches, laughter, drumming and lots of wonderful singing from the school choir.
A very emotional moment was the singing of the Tanzanian national anthem 
by the whole school.
When the link was first set up in 2008 the head teacher Mr Mchopa seemed quite wary about the idea that the visiting teacher from Eardisley needed to teach some classes - a requirement of the British Council grant which helps to fund the visits. However this time there was no such reticence and Michele was able to teach every child in the school.
Everyone came along to take part in the lessons, teachers, parents and governors!
The joint project was 'Food and Farming' and everyone was able to watch a short film on Michele's laptop. Some Eardisley pupils had shot some of the film in Hay market
Whatever did they think of a milking parlour, supermarkets and all the different foods available to us in the UK?
We had a truly wonderful, thought provoking, emotional and life enhancing experience. The people we met were welcoming, warm, kind, generous and hospitable. We were able to take gifts from the School and Church in Eardisley and also to give them a donation to help them improve their water collection and storage.
This summer will see a return visit from the new head teacher of Huwe School who will travel to Eardisley with another member 
of his staff. Michele Chapman retired from teaching at the end of August and it is wonderful to think that the link between the schools will continue to flourish and grow under the two new head teachers.
Susan Brown - Foundation Governor, Eardisley CE Primary School.